Driver charged in fatal East Flat Rock vehicle crash

Published: Friday, July 25, 2014 at 9:40 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 25, 2014 at 9:40 a.m.

An East Flat Rock woman was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle Thursday, after troopers say she was driving at a high rate of speed when her car struck a man on a moped who later died of his injuries.

The class A1 misdemeanor charge is punishable by up to 60 days in jail for someone with no prior convictions.

Trooper Joshua Henderson estimated Mary Geouge, 61, was traveling about 80 mph westbound on Highway 176 on the morning of July 16 when her Lincoln struck the moped, ran into a utility pole and then hit a parked car in front of the General Electric plant in East Flat Rock.

The driver of the moped, 24-year-old Christopher “Adam” Jackson of Saluda, was wearing his helmet at the time, Henderson said, but was launched into the air upon impact. Jackson was airlifted to Mission Hospital with a head injury. He died of his injuries on Saturday.

The speed limit for that stretch of road is 45 mph.

According to state law, a person commits the offense of misdemeanor death by vehicle if the action of the person unintentionally results in the death of another and if the person was violating a state or local law, other than impaired driving.

Highway Patrol Sgt. B.E. Hipp said troopers decided to charge Geouge with misdemeanor death by vehicle after discussing the case with the district attorney’s office. Higher charges of felony death by motor vehicle or vehicular manslaughter require other factors that have not appeared in this case, Hipp explained.

Geouge was not driving impaired, which ruled out a possible felony conviction. District Attorney Greg Newman said the evidence they have now also doesn’t suggest Geouge was texting behind the wheel or engaging in other distractive behaviors that would prove gross negligence or recklessness to warrant a manslaughter charge.

“We haven’t heard anything that would support those kind of charges,” he said, but “we don’t know everything yet. If more evidence is forthcoming, then the officers know that they can file additional charges.”

Excessive speeding is a misdemeanor under North Carolina law.

“We tend to think there was some medical reason” that may have led to the wreck, Newman said. “She (Geouge) doesn’t recall a lot of what happened.”

The case is still under investigation.

Jackson was a native and lifelong resident of Henderson County who had a passion for cooking and was a “great friend to anyone that needed an ear,” according to his obituary.

His friends and family will gather at the Chapel in The Pines of Jackson Funeral Service, 1101 Greenville Highway, at 4 p.m. Saturday to remember Jackson and the time they had with him. The family will receive friends two hours prior to Jackson’s celebration of life service in the chapel.

<p>An East Flat Rock woman was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle Thursday, after troopers say she was driving at a high rate of speed when her car struck a man on a moped who later died of his injuries. </p><p>The class A1 misdemeanor charge is punishable by up to 60 days in jail for someone with no prior convictions.</p><p>Trooper Joshua Henderson estimated Mary Geouge, 61, was traveling about 80 mph westbound on Highway 176 on the morning of July 16 when her Lincoln struck the moped, ran into a utility pole and then hit a parked car in front of the General Electric plant in East Flat Rock.</p><p>The driver of the moped, 24-year-old Christopher “Adam” Jackson of Saluda, was wearing his helmet at the time, Henderson said, but was launched into the air upon impact. Jackson was airlifted to Mission Hospital with a head injury. He died of his injuries on Saturday.</p><p>The speed limit for that stretch of road is 45 mph.</p><p>According to state law, a person commits the offense of misdemeanor death by vehicle if the action of the person unintentionally results in the death of another and if the person was violating a state or local law, other than impaired driving.</p><p>Highway Patrol Sgt. B.E. Hipp said troopers decided to charge Geouge with misdemeanor death by vehicle after discussing the case with the district attorney's office. Higher charges of felony death by motor vehicle or vehicular manslaughter require other factors that have not appeared in this case, Hipp explained.</p><p>Geouge was not driving impaired, which ruled out a possible felony conviction. District Attorney Greg Newman said the evidence they have now also doesn't suggest Geouge was texting behind the wheel or engaging in other distractive behaviors that would prove gross negligence or recklessness to warrant a manslaughter charge. </p><p>“We haven't heard anything that would support those kind of charges,” he said, but “we don't know everything yet. If more evidence is forthcoming, then the officers know that they can file additional charges.”</p><p>Excessive speeding is a misdemeanor under North Carolina law.</p><p>“We tend to think there was some medical reason” that may have led to the wreck, Newman said. “She (Geouge) doesn't recall a lot of what happened.”</p><p>The case is still under investigation.</p><p>Jackson was a native and lifelong resident of Henderson County who had a passion for cooking and was a “great friend to anyone that needed an ear,” according to his obituary.</p><p>His friends and family will gather at the Chapel in The Pines of Jackson Funeral Service, 1101 Greenville Highway, at 4 p.m. Saturday to remember Jackson and the time they had with him. The family will receive friends two hours prior to Jackson's celebration of life service in the chapel.</p><p>Geouge could not be reached for comment.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>